New England

Ocean House Hotel Westerly, Rhode Island

The Ocean House, one of New England’s last grand hotels, re-opened its doors in June 2010 after a $140 million rebuild and restoration. The 136-year-old property, originally built just after the Civil War, is perched high on the bluffs in Watch Hill, Rhode Island. Guests enjoy views of the Atlantic Ocean, Montauk and Block Island from the resort’s 49 guestrooms and 15 signature suites.

Exploring Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Massachusetts

Christened in 1602 by British explorer Bartholomew Gosnold in honour of his daughter, Martha’s Vineyard is no longer covered in wild grapes. Today, it’s an island of beautiful beaches, woods, farmland, cranberry bogs, charming inns and tourists, distinguished from neighbouring Nantucket by its proximity to the mainland and its Cape Cod-like variety of landscapes and communities.

Gillette Castle State Park

High on the hill overlooking the beautiful Connecticut River between Lyme and Haddam is the site of one of the most unique castles constructed as private residences in New England during the late 1880’s and early 1900’s. Gillette Castle was designed and built between 1914 and 1919 by William Gillette, an actor who gained fame and fortune for his early stage portrayals of Sherlock Holmes at the turn of the century.